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Local government units are institutional units whose financial, legislative and executive power encompasses the smallest geographical areas differentiated for administrative and political reasons.
Characteristics of local government in India
- It works within the local area
- They have statutory status
- They are autonomous bodies
- local participation is an inevitable part
- It provides local accountability as members are directly involved with the people ruled
- They can obtain funds through taxes and levies
Local government in India
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The conceptualisation of the arrangement of local self-government in India happened by the formation and hard work of 4 important committees. The committees and the important recommendations put forward by them are given below.
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Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957)
The committee presented its report in November 1957. The term ‘democratic decentralization’ first appears here
The significant recommendations are:
- a three-tier Panchayati Raj system should be established
- gram panchayat at village level (direct election)
- panchayat Samiti at the block level
- Zila Parishad at the district level (indirect election).
- The chairman of Zila Parishad will be District Collector
- Transmission of resources and authority to these institutions are to be guaranteed.
- Some states created a four-tier system. They had Nyaya panchayats, which functioned as judicial bodies.
Ashok Mehta Committee (1977-1978)
The committee was instituted by the Janata government to study Panchayati Raj institutions. Out of the whole of 132 recommendations made by it, the most significant ones are:
- A three-tier system is to be substituted by a two-tier system.
- Political parties must take part at all levels in the elections.
- Necessary authorities of taxation should be given to these institutions.
- Zila Parishad should be made in charge of planning at the state level.
- A minister for Panchayati Raj to be chosen by the state council of ministers.
- Constitutional recognition should be presented to Panchayati Raj institutions.
Unfortunately, the Janata government disassembled before anything could be done by these recommendations.
G V K Rao Commitee (1985)
This committee was appointed by the Planning Commission. They inferred that the developmental processes were slowly being seized away from the local self-government institutions, leading to a system akin to grass without roots.
- Zila Parishad should be given prime importance and all developmental programs at that level should be passed to it.
- District Development Commissioner post should be created. They act as the chief executive officer of the Zila Parishad.
- Regular elections should be held
L M Singhvi Committee (1986)
Constituted by the Rajiv Gandhi government on ‘Revitalisation of Panchayati Raj institutions for Democracy and Development. Recommendations are:
- PRI institutions should be given Constitutional recognition
- Nyaya Panchayats should be formed for clusters of villages
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Panchayati Raj System under 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment acts, 1992
- Parts IX and IX-A of the constitution were added by the 1992 legislation. It also introduced two additional schedules, 11 and 12, which contain lists of Panchayat and Municipality functional items. In every state, it establishes a three-tiered Panchayati Raj system — at the village, intermediate, and district levels.
- The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act establishes the Gram Sabha as the Panchayati Raj system’s cornerstone. It is effectively a village assembly made up of all registered voters in the panchayat’s jurisdiction. At the village level, the state has the authority to establish what powers it can exercise and what functions it must execute.
- The 74th Amendment to the Constitution establishes three sorts of municipalities:
- Nagar Panchayat- a transitional area between rural and urban
- Municipal Council -small urban area.
- Municipal Corporation – large urban area.
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Types of local government in Urban India
Municipalities are the three forms of democratically elected urban local government entities in India, abbreviated as “MC.” These are categorized according to the population density of the urban settlement.
| Municipal Corporation | Nagar Nigam | cities with more than 1 million population |
| Municipal Councils | Nagar Palika | cities with more than 25,000 and less than 1 million population |
| Municipal Committee | · Town Council
· Nagar Panchayat · Town Panchayat · Notified Area Council |
the town with more than 10,000 and less than 25,000 population.
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Structure of Local government in Rural India
- Gram Panchayats – village level
- Panchayat Samiti – Community Development Block level
- Zila Parishad – district level
The above-given article has given you a brief idea about the local self-government in India. Download the entri app to attend video lectures on this subject given by experienced educators to further your understanding of the subject.
